


The Sun was Named and Loved

by Sushimao



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, And there are feelings and stuff, Angst, Bucky gets reincarnated, Does that work? I dunno how to tag things obvs, Dunno if I should add a character death tag?, Fluff, Just tell me what to tag and I'll do it, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Steve is a star, Temporary Character Death, Who loves Bucky a lot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2015-01-20
Packaged: 2018-03-03 11:35:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2849480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sushimao/pseuds/Sushimao
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You don’t…have one?” The small thump made the star look back up, seeing that Bucky had sat himself down in front of him.</p><p>The star shook his head, eyes returning to the dirt.</p><p>“But, everyone has a name!"</p><p>“Not me.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How the Sun came to be

**Author's Note:**

> More tags will be added as more chapters go up. All mistakes are mine, it is 3 am and I don't have a beta.

Long ago, the earth was a cold and lonely place. The people prayed for a sun, something to guide them with light and share with them his warmth. They looked to the stars, wishing to go where they were, how bright it would be around them. How warm and safe from the creatures of the dark that hunted them.

The other stars, who had their own planets to warm up, felt sorry for the little planet and so they shared their warmth. But the distance was great, and the earth still felt cold. So they conferred to give the earth its own star, if it be worthy of one.

The star that they gave was young, small and weak without the care of other stars around him, but they knew he would grow and warm up the planet in time. He fell onto the earth quietly, unnoticed as one of the people. He was to learn to love the people he would soon serve. The journey took the star many years to reach earth and the people had grown cold and cruel during that time. They resented the stars that didn’t share enough of their warmth, greedy for more light. From their greed came fire and from fire came power to lord over others.

The star saw this and grew disappointed, but he loved the people, they were his to take care of. So the star vowed to change the people, protecting the weak from the cruel one at a time and maybe then the other stars will deem the people worthy, letting him stay to watch over the little planet.

 

* * *

 

The ground he landed on was cold, the punch he receive on his cheek was warm. His hands curled around the dirt, glaring up at his attacker.

“Stay down, you little beast!” The boy above him spat out, raising a leg to stomp onto his stomach. The star grunted, gritting his teeth at the pain sprouting around his abdomen. He’s grown to be a small child and the people here seemed to have no respect for each other.

He hated this planet. He thought he would learn to love it when he first saw how cruel the people had become. He thought he could change it, but the people’s hearts had been frozen for too long. He hated this planet and he wanted to leave, but he was too weak and small.

“That’ll teach you a lesson!” The kicking stopped, his body shaking. He hated this place, but refused to give up. The other boy had started to walk away and the star paused, before shuffling to get up slowly.

“Is…is that…all you…got?” He breathed out, wobbling as he focused on staying up and conscious. The other boy scoffed, then laughed.

“You still want more?” The star braced himself as the boy’s fist reared back, his eyes slipping close, his face twisting into a wince. Better him than the small dog.

The punch never came, instead, a voice called out. “Hey! What’s wrong with you? You’re gonna kill him!”

The star collapsed, his legs no longer able to support his body. He heard a few thuds, some shouting and finally a, “Get out of here and pick on someone your own size!”

He focused on breathing, confused about what had just happened. No one’s ever rescued him before, this didn’t happen. A hand landed on his shoulder, warm and comforting. The star wanted more.

“You alright?” The star looked up, eyes finally opening. It was hard to see in the dark, the reminding fires of the town starting to burn out for the hours. The boy in front of him was around seven earth years, smiling worriedly down at him.

“I…I’m fine. Who are you?”

The boy grinned, brighter than any star he’d ever seen. “Name’s James, but all my friends call me Bucky. What’s yours?”

“I don’t have one.” The star looked down, not wanting to see the disgust that must be on the boy–Bucky’s face now.

“You don’t…have one?” The small thump made the star look back up, seeing that Bucky had sat himself down in front of him.

The star shook his head, eyes returning to the dirt.

“But, everyone has a name!”

“Not me.”

“You never got…” The words were cut off as the boy realized what that meant. People without a name was unwanted and looked down upon. People believed that they held bad luck with them, their parents dead before they could name them. Most un-named children were left to the night creatures and those who survive the ordeal were savages and feral. No one ever wanted anything to do with a person without a name.

The star swallowed, curling up on himself. People always attacked him once they realized he was nameless, even rescuers won’t be any different. He couldn’t help but peek up at the boy though, wondering what his next move was. As expected, a frown had replaced the bright grinned, but what the star hadn’t expect was the determined look on Bucky’s face.

“Well, I’ll give you a name.” The star’s head snapped up immediately.

“What?”

“I said I’ll give you a name.” Bucky rolled his eyes, like the star hadn’t heard him clearly the first time. He then smirked, finishing with an emphatic nod. “You look like a…Steve. Yeah, Steve can be your name now.”

The star (Steve?) sputtered, baffled by the other boy. “You can’t just give me a name!”

“Why? You don’t want one?”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want one, everyone wanted a name. It was just that, “Wouldn’t it be lying?”

Bucky shrugged, “People lie all the time, way of life.” And yes, the star did know that, but he wanted to be a better person, show the people that being good didn’t mean you get nothing in return.

“Besides,” Bucky continued, “It’s not fair that some people get names and other people don’t.”

The star nodded, because Bucky was right, it wasn’t fair. It also wasn’t fair that some people got more to eat than others, or that some people had access to fire and the others had to deal with the cold.

“So…My name’s Bucky, yours?” Bucky grinned, nodding along with the star.

“I’m…My name’s Steve.”

And Steve smiled back.

 

* * *

 

“Tell me a story, Stevie.” Bucky mumbled, starting to drift off to sleep with his chin on Steve’s shoulder. He was always giving Steve these weird nicknames, but then Bucky was a natural at making up names. Steve had found out that Bucky made up his own name. Not James, but Bucky.

“What kind of story?” Steve leaned back against Bucky, moving Bucky’s arms so that they curled around his waist. He placed his hands over Bucky’s, shivering a little. Bucky’s hands were always so cold, but it was alright because Steve had enough heat for the both of them.

The two of them had grown into young adults now, Bucky, strong and capable. Steve had yet to grow out of his small body, but he exerted warmth and heat like it was his only job. Which, in a way, it was. Steve barely remembered the time without Bucky beside him, he’d taken the name Bucky gave him like fish to water. It was the only name he needed, only one he would ever want.

“A story about the stars.” Bucky shuffled and wormed his hands up Steve’s shirt. “You’re always so warm, Steven. Don’t need a bonfire like the village does when I got you to keep me all nice and heated.”

Steve grimaced, but allowed Bucky’s hands to stay under his shirt. “You’re not going to fall asleep on me, are you?”

“Promise I won’t.” Bucky pressed his cold, so _cold_ , cheek against Steve’s with a soft smile.

Steve chuckled, knowing how much of a lie that was, but Bucky had always said he loved his stories. So Steve told him the story of how the stars saw a lonely, little planet with no star to take of it. He told Bucky how even when the stars shared their warmth with the planet, it was still greedy for more. He told about the stars sending a young one to the planet so that it could raise its own star. Bucky eventually fell asleep.

Steve continued the story, no one listening but himself. He whispered into the dark how the star felt hopeless against the cruel people on the planet. He told the sleeping body wrapped around him that the star ended up finding his own light and how much the star loved that light.

Steve pulled the animal felt around Bucky’s body with a bit of difficulty and finished his tale of how the star didn’t know what to do about it, because the star had to leave the planet in time, but the star never wanted to leave his light.

He didn’t need sleep like the people did, so he enjoyed the feeling of having Bucky all around him. He didn’t need a lot of things, food or water, but Bucky was something he wanted so bad Steve felt like he needed him anyways.

Because Bucky was _his_ light.

And Steve lo-

 

* * *

 

In time, Steve grew. Steve went from a small little boy to a hulk of a man. People also started to gather around him, like they finally noticed him and how warm he was. Bucky said it was because he emitted a glow, Steve didn’t say that the only glow he could see was Bucky’s.

Steve used his new founded fame to change the world. He defended the weak and pushed against the one exploited the people’s labor. He pointed out the cowards and bullies. With his efforts, the people slowly changed, sharing rather than hoarding.

The whispers from the other stars started, telling him that it was time for him to leave. The people had proven to deserve their own star, it was time for Steve to become earth’s star.

Steve made excuses, saying that there were still cruel people on the earth and that he needed to fix and change them. Steve was needed on this planet still. The stars eventually quieted at his stubborn excuses with a pitying sigh.

The thing was, Steve didn’t want to leave. Not when he knew how it felt to have Bucky’s hands all over him. Steve could wrap himself around Bucky and warm him up. Bucky laugh and say something about Steve being too warm for his own good. He never wanted to leave when Bucky was still here and they had all the time in the world to bask in each other’s presence.

Because Bucky was Steve’s light and Steve wanted to spend eternity with him. He wasn’t ready to leave, because Bucky was everything.

And Steve loved him.

 

* * *

 

“You got a bit of white in your hair, Bucky.”

“Yeah? Guess I’m getting old.”

And Steve frowned.

 

* * *

 

“I love you.” Steve whispered as he traced the fine wrinkles around Bucky’s eyes with small kisses. Bucky smiled back sadly, closing his eyes.

They didn’t speak as Steve continued to leave kisses over Bucky’s body, Bucky sighing softly every once in a while. Steve barely had time for just the two of them anymore. As the years passed and people realized he hadn’t aged while the man that was always beside him grew weaker and older, they hailed him as a god. It was stupid, Steve was just a foolish star who fell in love and stayed too long on this planet.

Time was running out, it was always going to run out. Steve was helpless against it and it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t _fair_.

“It’s gonna be okay, Stevie.” Bucky muttered, breaking Steve out of his angry thoughts. “You’ll find someone else who’ll love you and you’ll forget about me. It’s not like you’ve needed me since you grew up right.” They hadn’t talked about this, how Bucky was dying, his body failing him while Steve only seemed to get stronger.

“No.” Bucky was wrong, Steve did need him. Steve went through his whole life with him. Steve didn’t remember a time when Bucky wasn’t by his side. “ _No_.” Steve swallowed back a wail. He belonged to Bucky, with Bucky. Bucky was the one who named him, who gave him an identity, who saved him so long ago, who put the first smile on Steve’s lips. And Steve loved him.

Steve loved him so much it hurts sometimes.

Bucky sighed, lifting a hand to thread his fingers into Steve’s hair. “Steve…” He started, but stopped when Steve buried his face into the hollow of Bucky’s neck. Steve clutched him tightly, whispering three words over and over again.

“I love you, I love you, I _love_ you.”

And Steve cried.

 

* * *

 

“There has to be _something. Please_.” Steve begged at the stars.

The stars gave him pitying looks and whispered a few words of comfort, a star’s love was large and fierce. They loved with their whole beings and a loss like this could never be recovered from.

‘ _Perhaps…_ ’ One of the older stars piped up.

Steve felt hope soar in his core, “What? Tell me, I’ll do anything!”

‘ _It’s risky, but you could bound his soul to the earth and he would be reborn each time he dies._ ’

Steve gave a cry of joy, “How do I do this?”

‘ _However, young one. It will strain his soul, he won’t be the same every time_.’

The star nodded, he didn’t care as long as he would be able feel Bucky’s body around him until Steve died.

‘ _And you must promise that you’ll leave the earth and do what you have always meant to be made for.’_

“But how would I-“ Steve started, a fearful frown on his face.

‘ _You’ll be able to make a human body._ _Know that you will not always meet him in every life._ _If you accept, I will bound his soul to the earth,_ after _you become the star this planet needs.’_

“I accept.” Steve said firmly. He was selfish, he knew, but Bucky was everything. He needed to know he would be able to see Bucky again, even if it takes half his life time.

‘ _It is done, then._ ’

And Steve breathed.

 

* * *

 

Bucky died the day the sun was created.

And Steve waited.

 

* * *

 

When the first ray of light hit the earth, the people rejoiced. They named the star their sun, for they had legends of the stars giving them one of their own to raise and so the star was the planet’s son.

Time passed and the years and days and months were created. With the light, the people’s hearts unfroze and they were happy and thankful.

Centuries went by, people forgetting the time that they never had the warmth and light from the sun. They grew, they invented and they shared. Enough time passed that continents moved and the people were separated.

And still Steve waited.

 

* * *

 

When the soul of the star’s love cried for the first time in centuries, the earth seemed to shake.

And Steve heard the wail right down to his core.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What will you name him?”
> 
> Sarah thought for a moment, “Grant. His name is Grant Rogers.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for being the slowest writer ever. All typos and mistakes are mine.

_**May 8, 1918** _

“Incoming!”

Joseph Rogers ducked into a ditch, clutching his rifle tightly against himself. Someone’s wounded body was gasping beside him, he didn’t turn to look. Joseph might’ve known him, it wasn’t easy either way. He swallowed, closing his eyes at the sound of gunshots overhead.

This was it, he knew. They were surrounded, no way out. He took a deep breath and thought of Sarah and their unborn child. He wasn’t going to get to see his son or daughter. He exhaled shakily.

“Mustard gas!” Someone shouted before a haze of orange rolled over the ditch.

At first, he tried not to breathe it in, but the gas made his skin prickle and he knew before long that the allies would find his body covered with welts and blisters. He slowly opened his eyes, tears already gathering from the gas. It hurt, everything hurt. He gasped a breath, inhaling the thick gas.

“Please…” He muttered, voice shaking, “Protect them…”

The sun shined overhead and for a moment, Joseph thought it got a little brighter.

* * *

 

_**June 18, 1918** _

_Dear Sarah Rogers,_

_It is with deep sorrow that I write this letter. Your husband, Joseph Rogers of the 107 th Infantry Regiment was attack along with his unit on the 8th of May with mustard gas. It was a long time before there was any hope of rescue or back up and I could only hope that he did not die in pain._

_If there is anything else I could answer for you, I will be pleased to do so. I hope all will be well._

_Yours,_

_Capt. Thomas H. Pickett_

* * *

 

_**July 4, 1918** _

The day her little boy was born, Sarah knew he was going to have a hard life. She also knew that he was going to do great things and that he would love like none other. Perhaps it’s a mother’s bias for her own child, but the baby sleeping soundly in her arms had a certain glow. It filled her heart with warmth and she found herself unable to stop the bright smile.

“What will you name him?”

Sarah thought for a moment, “Grant. His name is Grant Rogers.” She knew Joseph would be proud to have a son. Even though Grant would have to grow up without a father, Sarah was going to do her best to make sure he knew Joseph loved him.

* * *

 

Grant was sickly, weak and fragile. Most of the nurses and doctors thought he wasn’t going to survive his first year, but the baby was determined. It unnerved Sarah sometimes when Grant would look towards her with knowledge in his eyes, almost like he knew everything was going to be okay. He was a quiet child, hardly ever cried even if Sarah got too busy to give him the attention she knew most babies begged for.

The first word out of his mouth was, “Bucky.” Sarah had jumped when Grant had paddled over to her, tugged at the dress and asked, “Bucky?”

She didn’t know what it meant, if it was an object or a person. The word certainly wasn’t from her, she’s never heard it in her life. Grant must’ve picked it up from somewhere else, even though she knew he never went out of the house. It scared Sarah, but she picked him up all the same and said with a smile, “No. I’m your ma.” Because he was her son and she promised to give him love enough to fill his father’s spot.

Grant had frowned, but snuggled into her embrace, muttering a soft. “Bucky…”

* * *

 

It was a while before Sarah Rogers realized that Grant never really answered to ‘Grant’. If she called him a nickname, he would go to her, obedient as a trained dog. There were times where he answered, but it was jolting, like he finally remembered that was his name. It worried Sarah and one day, she had snapped after calling Grant for the tenth time without answer.

“Grant!” She had huffed, putting her arms against her hips.

Grant didn’t look up from his toys.

Sarah sighed, “Sweetheart…” She kneeled beside him and he turned towards her with a, “Ya?”

“What’s your name?” Sarah asked, fear creeping through her body.

Grant looked confused for a moment, little brows furrowing. “It’s…Steve.” He stared at her and she felt her stomach drop.

“No…no, my boy, it’s not Steve.”

“But…it’s always Steve. Or Steven.” Grant insisted, a slight whine in his voice.

“No, it’s Grant. You’re Grant Rogers.”

Grant frowned, then nodded, biting at his bottom lip. “Okay.”

After that, he answered to ‘Grant’ more often, but there were still times where he got confused. He was a good boy, Sarah told herself. She couldn’t’ve had asked for a better son, no matter how eccentric he seemed to be. He had a good heart, much like his father and she loved him.

* * *

 

When Steve (no, Grant. His mother wanted him to be Grant) was six years old and smaller than most boys his age, he met Bucky.

It happened very quickly and he wasn’t prepared for the way his heart tightened and soared at the sight as it always did. He was supposed to be back home by now, bread and medicine in his brown bag, but he had overheard a shout of, “Give it back!”

He ran towards the voices, three goading and one begging.

“Hey!” He shouted, spotting the three bigger kids surrounding a much smaller one. They looked to be the same age as him, but Grant was still smaller than any of the four. That didn’t stop him from stepping between the kid and the bullies, glaring at their sneering faces. One of them was holding up a pair of dog tags, waving it tauntingly.

“Get outta here, kid.” The biggest one roughly shoved him to the side.

“Please, it’s my dad’s!” The kid Grant was shoved beside cried out, distress evident on his face. He looked almost ready to start crying. It made Grant get right back up and into the face of the boy holding the dog tags.

He tried to reach for it, gritting his teeth when he heard the three boys laughing at the way his arms just weren’t long enough.

“Look at ‘im! He’s so tiny, smaller ‘an the other one. How old ‘r you, four?” The boys laughed again and Grant growled before tackling the one in front of him.

The moments after that was chaos. Grant was shoved, punched and kicked. He managed to get a hold of the tags, curling his fingers around it before he retaliated, kicking, biting and punching where he could. The boys yelped and got angrier, beating him to the ground until Grant could no longer find the strength to get up again. The boy he was helping had started crying for help, while Grant curled in on himself, still clutching the dog tags.

One second he was being beat to the brink of death, the next there was a sharp thunk and a shout of pain. Grant’s attacker stopped and he peeked from his spot on the ground at the new boy tossing a rock from hand to hand.

Then, Steve knew. Steve, his name was Steve. It will always be Steve, because his heart sang and cried and soared. Steve, because it was the first name he’d ever gotten, the only name he would ever want. He was Steve, because it was the name Bucky gave him and he belonged to Bucky, not anyone else.

Bucky was here and Bucky was going to make everything fine and amazing and _Bucky_.

And Steve couldn’t breathe, he could barely see through the black closing around his vision.

* * *

 

“Hey, hey.” A gentle shove.

Steve blinked, breath coming in little gasps as he came back to the world of the living.

“Hey, you okay?” The previous voice asked. Oh, right. Bucky. Steve’s lips curled up into a blinding smile as he looked to Bucky and the other boy was a little taken back by how much he was beaming. Nonetheless, Bucky put a hand out to help him up. Steve couldn’t stop staring, never had been able to stop.

“Um, thank you…” A small voice said beside the two of them, Steve staring adoringly and Bucky curiously. It jolted Steve from his gaze and he finally remembered that he was still holding the kid’s dog tags.

He held them out to the kid, still smiling (Bucky, Bucky, Bucky), “Here ya go.” The boy took them with another small murmur of thanks before scuttling off.

Steve turned back to Bucky, took the blooming bruise on his cheek, his bleeding lips and the smug curl of a smirk on his mouth. The smirk turned into a grin, making Steve a little overwhelmed and so, so in love.

“You’re tough, for a little guy. I’m James, James Barnes.” James? Oh, right, James. Bucky’s original name.

Steve couldn’t stop smiling, “I’m…My name’s Steve.”

“Nice t’meet cha, Steve!”

Steve release a sigh of happiness, because they were young and that meant he was going to have a lifetime with Bucky. They were going to grow up together and Steve was going to know this Bucky better than anyone else. They were going to grow old and love and he’s going to have such a long time and he couldn’t wait to get started.

* * *

 

Steve still called James, ‘Bucky’. He wasn’t surprised when it somehow stuck and everyone started calling him that. Bucky had grumbled and blames Steve, but he hadn’t mind at all. Besides, James was such a boring name anyways, Bucky had said.

His mother had not been happy when she found out about him introducing himself as Steve and not Grant. He couldn’t find it in himself to care too much. Steve was his name and it will always be his name. It took her a half year to change his name officially on his birth certificate. Steven Grant Rogers, his name now was, the Steven a last sort of stubbornness from Sarah. He didn’t mind.

Steve and Bucky was inseparable. He was so happy, it’s been so many lives ago that he got to actually grow up with Bucky again. Just like the first time. Their lives wasn’t perfect and there were hardships, but Steve was with Bucky and that meant everything was good.

**Author's Note:**

> I thought a lot about this one night and cried about it, then I wrote it. I'm probably going to cry about it more as I write the other chapters. Rating will most likely change.


End file.
